The present invention relates to a method for forming an article by exposing a polymer to radiation having a wavelength of about 10.sup.-3 to about 400 nm to cure or cross-link the polymer and to articles containing radiation cross-linked polymers.
Many manufacturing processes employ radiation to cure or cross-link polymers. Exemplary examples of radiation are ultraviolet (UV) light having a wavelength of about 10 to about 400 nm, X-rays having a wavelength of about 10.sup.-2 to about 10 nm, and electron beam having a wavelength of about 10.sup.-3 to about 10.sup.-1 nm. The polymers can cross-link with themselves to increase their molecular weight. Typically, the resulting polymer exhibits new, and often more desirable, properties. Alternatively, the polymer can cross-link with or be covalently immobilized onto a substrate. This is desirable for those applications where a tenacious coating or bond is desired.
There are advantages of using radiation to cross-link polymers. For example, products for use in certain fields, e.g., health care, must be sterilized. One method of sterilizing articles involves exposing them to UV light. Products made with non-UV light curable polymers are first manufactured and then sterilized. This two-step procedure adds to the cost of the finished product. Although some polymers are radiation curable, most polymers are not.
Accordingly, there is a need for radiation-curable polymers that can be employed in radiation-curable methods for making articles, e.g., articles suitable for use in fields requiring sterilized products.